H. whereas the Commission must ensure that the reform of the sector focuses on developing a genuine Community wine policy that will help to improve production, processing and above all marketing structures in the EU, developing new and expanding markets and consolidating traditional ones,

H. whereas the Commission should ensure that the reform of the sector focuses on developing a genuine Community wine-growing policy that will help to improve production, processing and above all marketing structures in the EU, developing new and expanding markets and consolidating traditional ones,

The new EU wine policy should also take in due consideration increased concerns of society on health and consumer protection.

– improving the flexibility of the labelling policy, in taking into account the WTO policies, by: 1) removing the distinction between the rules on labelling wines with and without GIs, most importantly facilitating the indication of vine variety and vintage on wines without GI status, in order to allow EU wine producers to market “new world” type wines (i.e. single vine variety), and thereby put EU wine producers on an equal footing with external competitors, 2) maintaining and improving the traditional terms system, 3) adapting the policy on trademarks, 4) amending the language rules in the wine sector to allow more flexibility on the u ...[+++]se of languages, 5) ensuring health and consumer information and protection, 6) fully informing the consumer of the origin of the product through appropriate labelling rules on traceability and 7) allowing to inform consumers on the environmental aspects of production practices.

An Impact Assessment (IA) covering possible options for a new Community policy for the wine sector has been carried out to ensure synergy with other Community policies.